This is about as sexist as it gets

Today’s Herald Sun featured an article by Australian women’s activist and www.collectiveshout.org co-founder Melinda Tankard Reist, reiterating all the reasons we should not let Lingerie Football League (LFL) come to Australia.

WHEN a man plays gridiron – or American football – he is dressed for maximum protection to ensure safety in a game known for its raw physicality. His body is covered, with little exposed flesh, to minimise injury.

It’s not the kind of game a man would consider playing in his underwear. That would just be dumb, right? But it seems rules are different if you are a woman playing for the Lingerie Football League (LFL). The less clothing the better. In fact, it’s a requirement of the game.

LFL is blatant sexualisation and sexism, while promoting violence towards near naked, physically unprotected women, with outrageous clauses for maximum boob and bum exposure with little or no pay and the whole family is invited!

Brisbane Entertainment Centre and Allphones Arena Sydney are offering family tickets for two adults and two juniors aged two to 12 years. Never too early to teach children what women are good for.

Yet fan’s of the sport must think it’s credible right, that they are watching real female athletes?

One male sports blogger says LFL is “the closest we will get to live stadium porno” and admitted: “I just would never go to a game to watch their athletic talent.”

Melinda goes on to rightly assert:

This exploitation of women’s bodies for profit undermines real sportswomen. Mainstreaming stripper-style representations of women – including in sport – sets back the cause of equality and fair treatment.

CONTINUING to depict women in sexualised roles – including on the sports field – dashes our hopes of growing a generation of empowered young women. It reinforces the notion that if a young woman wants to play sport she has to bare her flesh and be publicly sexual. Already many girls avoid playing sport because of body-image concerns.

Fortunately, the Australian Sports Commission does not recognise lingerie football. It says the LFL does not adhere to the “core principles of sport in Australia – fairness, respect, responsibility and safety”.

However, it can’t do anything to stop it. That’s why we have to.

www.collectiveshout.org are calling for all corporate sponsors including the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Allphones Stadium Sydney, Telecafe, Seven Yahoo, Yahoo Sports and Triple M to withdraw all support for these events so they do not go ahead.

Federal Sports Minister Kate Lundy is also being lobbied to intervene. Tell these companies that trading in the bodies of underpaid semi-naked women who risk injury for male entertainment does not constitute sport.

Sign the petition and stop Lingerie Football League from coming to Australia.

6 thoughts on “This is about as sexist as it gets”

I saw an ad on the subway yesterday for Piranha 3D (or 3DD…..) and it showed a white woman with huge breasts and a thin body in a bikini in the water. Behind her are the evil piranha which I hope eat her. Here’s a link with the poster.

Wow i just had a look, real classy, even the headline screams boobs “Yet Another PIRANHA 3DD Movie Poster Keeps You Abreast of the Upcoming Movie.” And nice how they cut her head off with the main focal point beings her breasts? It is blatant objectification and very stereotypical like you say. Must be a pretty bad movie if a sexualised woman in peril is the selling point?
This is why we are and must speak up, silence is acceptance and none of this is accceptable. We women are valueable and worthy of decency and respect as we go about our lives in this society no matter what justifications people come up with for this kind of detrimental sexism.

Reblogged this on Questions for Women and commented:
This is a great post about The Lingerie Football League coming to Australia. Not only is this as sexist as it gets – they are enticing families to take the kiddies along. We must all stand up and say “NO” to this.
Deep Breath
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Thank’s Paula 🙂 It’s a real family affair, warp your sons view of women and destroy your daughters self esteem or introduce her to the limelight of porn culture in one afternoon. Clearly another conscionable corporation. Over 1000 signatures so far in less than a week